


Accidentally in Love

by st4rlabsforever (omaken)



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-20 00:10:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8229535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omaken/pseuds/st4rlabsforever
Summary: “I just...I-I thought I meant more to you?” Barry says.“What do you mean?” Cisco feels like they’ve skipped steps 1 through 20 and landed on step Z.“Us! Our relationship.”Cisco frowns, because what? “Our friendship?” he clarifies. And Barry crumples.





	

**Author's Note:**

> thought i'd share some fluff in light of the angst that's probably coming next week
> 
> check me out on [tumblr](http://st4rlabsforever.tumblr.com)

This is how it happens.

Cisco is chilling in Jitters with Barry, three Flashes shared between the two of them on a quick lunch break, when a guy approaches their table with a hesitant grin. Although “guy” isn’t necessarily the best way to describe the incredibly attractive, hot, gorgeous, handsome man that’s now standing in front of him.

And Cisco isn’t a shallow guy, but he can’t help the way his brain short-circuits, or the way the bottom drops out from beneath his feet. Or the way butterflies seem to have taken up residence in his stomach, and – _get a grip_ , he tells himself. Tries to, at least.

Both Barry and “guy” are staring at him now, which means…

“Sorry,” Cisco says, clearing his throat and composing himself as best he can. “What did you say?”

“I, uh...this is silly, but I noticed you come here everyday and um…” he scratches the back of his neck self-consciously, and Cisco swoons, “I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get dinner sometime.”

Yes! Yes, yes, yes.

It takes him a few seconds before he realizes he hasn’t actually said that out loud.

“I’d love to!” Cisco says, and holds his hand out. “I’m Cisco.”

“Colin,” “guy” answers back, hesitant grin turning up full blast.

They hurriedly exchange details – because Singh is going to absolutely kill Cisco if he’s back late again, even though it’s not really his fault, it’s Barry’s for having super speed and somehow still being tardy – and Cisco has himself a date for this Friday. Score.

When Colin heads out, Cisco notices the strange look Barry’s giving him.

“Everything okay?”

“Oh – uh, yeah. Have a good time with Colin,” Barry says. There’s something about his smile that seems...off.

“Hey, you’re my best friend, Barry.” He puts a comforting arm on Barry’s shoulder, but Barry only winces. “If there’s anything you wanna talk about, just know that I’m here for you.”

There’s no time to say anything else, though, because suddenly they’ve overstayed their lunch break yet again and Barry is whisking them back to the precinct.

*

The next few days are weird. Namely, it seems like Barry is...not necessarily avoiding him, but...more closed off than normal? Usually, Barry’s an open book, but now? Outside of CCPD and STAR, he always seems to have errands to run or “things” to do.

Cisco tries to talk to him about it, but cornering a speedster is definitely not his forte.

*

Finally, Thursday evening rolls around. The eve of his date with Colin.

Barry slips silently into Cisco’s lab, shoulders hunched and big eyes a little sad.

“What can I do for you?” Cisco asks, and his cheer sounds forced even to his own ears.

Barry rubs his neck, and that’s _never_ a good sign; it usually means he wants to talk about something he’s been bottling up for months.

“Iris says I have to talk about things like feelings. She says it’s healthy or something.”

Cisco snorts. “She’s right, man.”

Barry allows himself a little grin, but sobers immediately and straightens his back.

“I just...I-I thought I meant more to you?”

“What do you mean?” Cisco feels like they’ve skipped steps 1 through 20 and landed on step Z.

“Us! Our relationship.”

Cisco frowns, because what?

“Our friendship?” he clarifies. And Barry crumples.

“Do you not want to date me...?” Barry asks hesitantly. “Because if you don’t, that’s totally fine! I’m just confused ‘cause I thought we were _dating_ , but then you have a date with Colin this weekend and if I’m misreading this Idon’twantthistobelikeEddiealloveragain–”

“Whoa, slow down dude,” Cisco says, but he’s starting to freak out a little himself now, because they’re supposedly dating?

He scours his brain for any details he might’ve missed, and: nothing. He and Barry have been hanging out more often, and Barry’s been fairly touchy lately – touch _ier_ than normal, actually, ‘cause he’s a pretty tactile guy. Cisco doesn’t really have a baseline to work with, though. He’s never had as good a friend as Barry, who’s comfortable clasping his hands when Cisco needs encouragement, or snuggling up on the couch with him watching late night Star Trek reruns. Barry’s even got a whole half drawer to himself for when he spends nights at Cisco’s place and is too lazy to take the zero point two seconds to run home the next morning.

Barry’s been oddly insistent about paying for Cisco’s dinner the last couple of times they’ve gone out to eat, too, and...crap. Cisco’s heart skips a beat.

“Oh my god,” is all he manages to say.

“Yeah?” Barry asks carefully.

“I had no idea,” Cisco chirps. It sounds woefully inadequate now, but he’s not entirely sure what, exactly, he’s supposed to say. Somehow, somewhere along the way, they had transitioned from best friends to boyfriends so seamlessly that Cisco feels like he’s been blindsided.

“Seriously, dude?” Barry draws out his words in a low whine, but the color is returning to his face, and he seems much more confident now.

“You never asked me out!” Cisco protests.

“I asked you out to dinner, you said yes.”

“But we go to dinner all the time!”

“It was _Noma_. We had reservations and I covered the $200 bill! My wallet’s _still_ feeling it…”

“I thought that was just you making up for blowing up our suit again.” It seemed like fair compensation at the time, and still does now. Plus, it’s worth it for the way Barry splutters.

“I see how it is,” Barry says, but there’s a playful lilt to his voice.

Cisco doesn’t answer, just takes out his phone and starts drafting a text to Colin. On the one hand, _I can’t go on our date anymore because I forgot I already had a boyfriend_ would be terribly embarrassing, but on the other hand–

Barry peeks over his shoulder. “What’re you doing?”

“Canceling my date. Apparently, I already have a boyfriend,” Cisco says, keeping his head down and eyes trained on his phone, but still smiling all the same.

“Oh?”

“Yup.” Cisco takes extra care to pop the ‘p’. “I figured if I – _ack!_ ”

He’s cut off when Barry lifts him up bodily around the waist and deposits him on top of his workstation, crashing their lips together.

Cisco groans into the kiss, but has to pull away for air eventually. “Right _now_? In my lab?” he asks.

Barry raises an eyebrow. “I don’t see you complaining. Besides, I want to make sure we both know where we stand.”

Well, Cisco can’t argue with that.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, comments give me life!


End file.
